The EXPER project was presented at “Exploring the Horizon. Land-Sea Governance in Macaronesia” event on March 28, 2025, in a session focused on “Climate vulnerability in Macaronesia: Obstacles and Facilitators in Handling Scientific Information and Stakeholder Participation Through Concrete Case Studies.” The event was held in synergy with the BlueGreen Governance Project.
Dayana Martín Andara from the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) shared lessons learnt from the ‘Blue Green Governance’ workshop, which took place on Gran Canaria from March 27-28. These insights stemmed from the EXPER project’s Societal Challenges Working Groups. Aridane González and Leví García from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) also contributed to the discussion.
Martín explained that the Societal Challenges Working Groups were led by researchers. Aligning with the Blue Green Governance (BGG) project, the action plans established by these groups were knowledge-based, with researchers determining the research areas of focus. The importance of governance related to the circular and blue economy, as well as citizen science, was addressed as a key topic for the groups, also in line with the BGG project.
During the workshop, the significance of Macaronesian Networks was emphasised. Martín highlighted the collaborative efforts within the EXPER project, where ULPGC and UAc have worked together to promote transformation towards excellence and responsible research. She acknowledged the role of pre-existing networks, such as the H2020 – FORWARD project, which involved the eight outermost regions (ORs). Martín stressed the need for continued projects that unify common interests and needs to further this objective and maintain these networks for long-term goal achievement.
The “Exploring the Horizon: Land-Sea Governance in Macaronesia” event addressed general topics including:
- Identifying key climate hazards, anthropogenic pressures, and vulnerable sectors through horizon scanning and megatrend analysis.
- Developing a shared understanding of the socio-political context, including opportunities, challenges, and risks in coastal management and land-sea governance in Macaronesia.
- Developing a shared understanding of scientific knowledge as a key factor in decision-making and how scientific knowledge, together with key stakeholders, fosters joint solutions.
The two-day event included sessions on approaching land-sea interface complexity, visualising climate change megatrends, exploring deliberation tools, and examining the policy landscape and environmental challenges in Macaronesia.
